Canada’s flag
Canada’s flag was a case of the storm before the calm. This was the first Maple Leaf flag raised on Parliament Hill, and the preceding months had seen impassioned debate in both the House of Commons and in the Senate.
Of 2,400 designs submitted, the winning design was from George Stanley and John Matheson. Its sparse but bold red borders and stylized maple leaf are now a globally recognized symbol of Canada.
At noon on Feb. 15, 1965, the new flag was raised by Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson and Governor-General Georges Vanier. In 1996, Feb. 15 was declared National Flag Day in Canada.